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KENNA There are people in the world who need to define themselves because it gives them identity; then there are people like Kenna who are indefinable and lead others on a unique journey that they could never have embarked on without the influence of such a visionary. In Kenna’s case, being unclassifiable can help nab stage time with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, open the New York leg of Live Earth at the Giants Stadium, and land multiple spots on various critics’ album-of-the-year lists. The release of his critically acclaimed debut album New Sacred Cow and the sophomore release of Make Sure They See My Face showed the Ethiopian-born/Virginia-raised artist the dark side of the music industry, as he was passed around from label to label before finally landing on the Neptunes’ Star Trak imprint, which high school friend Chad Hugo co-produced both of Kenna’s albums. ‘New Sacred Cow’ received some mainstream love as “Freetime” nabbed a MTV VMA Breakthrough Video nomination, and his revolutionary sound prompted Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Mark Ronson, No Doubt, N.E.R.D and Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan to enlist Kenna as the opening act for their tours. Even Malcolm Gladwell, famously devoted an entire chapter to the genre-defying artist in his 2005 bestseller BLINK, summarizing “Kenna’s Dilemma” and the irony behind why Kenna couldn’t maintain a major- label deal at the time, “the guy’s basically too inspired to pin down and too multi-talented to tie up in a neat, happy little marketing package.” The self-described chameleon elaborated on his inability to be pigeonholed when he told VIBE MAGAZINE, “I was never a clique kid, I never fit into one crew in elementary (or) high school, I was never THAT WAY in college, I pretty much rolled with whoever I felt comfortable with in my life. I’m a foreign kid, an inner city kid, a suburban kid — I’ve done and been in all those worlds, so now who am I to you? Who am I to the world when I represent so many aspects of it?” But the multifaceted Kenna, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, used his enigmatic appeal to claim his place as the king of esoteric dance-pop with his follow-up album, ‘Make Sure They See My Face.’
At this point, Kenna is a Grammy-nominated musician, philanthropist and curator.͒He is the eldest son of an Ethiopian family that immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio when he was three years-old. He was later raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, attending school with friends and eventual career-long collaborators Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. Kenna began to express an interest in music upon receiving a copy of U2's The Joshua Tree. That album inspired Kenna to teach himself piano while studying singers like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, as well as groups like The Cure and Duran Duran. Breaking into the music scene at such a young age and at an interesting time in pop history, Kenna met some of music’s biggest names including Whitney Houston, Babyface, Blackstreet, Teddy Riley and Michael Jackson. He went on to create his own sound that has yet to be categorized and filed under any mainstream genre. As an anomaly in the music world, Kenna is ever elusive, ever committed to the impetus of his art. He is defined only by his natural constitution to never be what you expect. In addition to his musical pursuits, when Kenna learned about the global water crisis affecting his home village in Ethiopia, he decided to create the SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT project. In 2010 Kenna and his colleagues climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to bring attention to the water crisis. Kenna developed a 19,340 ft website for fans and followers to participate virtually with the climbers. This concept, rooted in social media, was the first of its kind. The project generated 2 billion impressions, 1700+ pieces of traditional press and helped bring clean drinking water to more than 1 Billion people.
Kenna, 'Relations (An Ode to You and Me)': Lyric Video Premiere By Erika Ramirez The Grammy nominated singer-songwriter signs with Dim Mak Records for the release of his three-part EP series. A year after the re-release of "Land 2 Air Chronicles I," Kenna signs to Dim Mak Records for the release of his three-part EP series, "Land 2 Air Chronicles II." Dim Mak Records is also home to artists like Zedd, Tiesto and Steve Aoki. In anticipation to the EP series, launching with the 3-track EP, "Land 2 Air Chronicles II - Imitation is Suicide," on Sept. 3, the singer-songwriter/producer debuts the official lyric video for "Relations (An Ode to You and Me)," exclusively on The Juice.
"['Relations'] is a #ReverseBlurredLines with cute girl dance machines. It's my life's work to give us nerds some swagger," he says of his funky single, co-produced by him and Chad Hugo. With only days of its release (August 13), "Relations" has been featured on a national Myspace campaign (where Kenna holds the position as Lead Creative and Chief Vision Officer).
“Kenna continues to create new and fun sounds.” -Antvala
“Kenna’s latest release delves into a sexy, funky sound. It twists and turns the sounds of ordinary, adds improvisation, and makes us want to have relations.” -Dance Music Northwest
“The always impressive, producer, musician, and singer/songwriter, Kenna, is back today with something new for our listening enjoyment. The track is called “Relations” and finds the singer giving us something funky, unique, and highly addictive.” -Stupid Dope
“Produced by Chad Hugo, the record’s funky, groovy, and defiant of one particular genre. Here’s to hoping that Land 2 Air Chronicles II – Imitation is Suicide arrives sooner rather than later.” -Smoking Section
“As catchy as it is smart, this heady yet sparse funk, hip hop tinged track will inhabit your mind in much the same way as the song this canny sleeve artwork references.” -Velour Magazine
“If you’re on the prowl for some deep bass and grind-hungry ladies, then look no further than Grammy-nominated artist Kenna’s new video for “Relations (An Ode to You and Me). Though it’s may only be the lyric video, the footage still packs some heat with its ensemble of dance fever femmes. Own it.” -Vibe
Achievements
JULY 7, 2007 KENNA OPENED THE NEW JERSEY PORTION OF THE
LIVE EARTH CONCERT.
2007 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR ASHLEE SIMPSON’S THIRD ALBUM BITTERSWEET WORLD.
"OUT OF CONTROL" APPEARS IN THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE VIDEO
GAME FIFA 08
2007 RELEASED MAKE SURE THEY SEE MY FACE, ON OCTOBER 23, 2007, THE
ALBUM DEBUTED AT #1 ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 20 HEATSEEKERS CHART
THE FIRST SINGLE OFF OF MAKE SURE THEY SEE MY FACE, CALLED “OUT OF CONTROL” WAS FEATURED ON SONY’S, SUCCESSFUL
AND ULTIMILLION DOLLAR PSP CAMPAIGN
POP-AUTHOR, MALCOLM GLADWELL, FAMOUSLY DEVOTED A CHAPTER TO
KENNA IN HIS 2005 BEST SELLER BLINK.
2003 RELEASED NEW SACRED COW, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
DEBUT ALBUM
TWO MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS THE
VIDEO FOR “FREETIME” RECEIVED
2009 GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR BEST URBAN / ALTERNATIVE
PERFORMANCE FOR “SAY GOODBYE TO LOVE”
DISCOGRAPHY
MAKE SURE THEY SEE MY FACE * RELEASED: OCTOBER 2007
* LABEL: INTERSCOPE RECORDS * SINGLES:
“OUT OF CONTROL (STATE OF EMOTION)" "SAY GOODBYE TO LOVE"
"LOOSE WIRES"
LAND 2 AIR CHRONICLES II – IMITATION IS SUICIDE * LABEL: DIM MAK INC.
* RELEASED: SEPTEMBER 2013 *PRODUCER: CHAD HUGO
* SINGLES “WILD, WILD LIFE”
“RELATIONS (AN ODE TO YOU AND ME) “GET IN CLOSER”
NEW SACRED COW * RELEASED: JUNE 10, 2003
* LABEL: COLUMBIA RECORDS * SINGLES
"HELL BENT" "SUNDAY AFTER YOU"
"FREETIME"
THE BLACK GOODBYE EP * RELEASED: 2007
* LABEL: STAR TRAK *SINGLES
“OUT OF CONTROL” “BETTER WISE UP”
“BLACK GOODBYE RIDE”
LAND 2 AIR CHRONICLES I – CHAOS AND THE DARKNESS EP
* RELEASED: APRIL 2011 * LABEL: GODEL
* PRODUCER: CHAD HUGO *SINGLES “CHAINS”
“KHARMA IS COMING” “WHAT U WANT”
